Figueira sends strong message to Navy Blues

Words: ACFC Media

Friday 26 February 2021

Picture: Phototek

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC goes into Saturday's last ever regular season Super City derby clash treating it like a knock-out match as coach Jose Figueira keeps the Navy Blues attention laser focused on momentum.

Auckland City FC downed Waitakere United 3-0 in their first meeting of the season at Seddon Field last month but any idea the Navy Blues will show complacency after winning the league and securing a home semi-final last week are wide of the mark according to Figueira.

"The message to the group is we are not just treating this last game as a regular league game. We're treating it like a quarter-final game and therefore we've made it very clear to the players that its a clean page.

AUDIO INTERVIEW - Jose FIGUEIRA

Auckland City FC · Figueira sets bar high for Super City derby

"Those that train well and perform well at the weekend, put their hand up for that home semi-final. We're taking that home semi-final as serious as ever and we want to go into the home semi-final with momentum. We've put the utmost importance on the Super City derby," he said.

Waitakere United desperately need to win to claim fourth spot but lurking over their shoulders are Eastern Suburbs and Canterbury United each still in with a chance of leapfrogging Paul Hobson's side in the ladder if they can pick up victories and other results go their way.

Suburbs have a slight advantage over both Uniteds with their final game away to Hawke's Bay United on Sunday meaning coach Hoani Edwards and his players will know exactly what they need to do to advance to the playoffs.

Canterbury United face the Wellington Phoenix who showed a vast improvement after last week's 1-1 draw with the Navy Blues yet United will still be fancied to pick up the win they need to clinch fourth place.

Regardless of the playoff jostle happening beneath Auckland City FC, Figueira's focus has been squarely on preparing his team rather than getting caught up in the algebra required to disentangle the worries of other clubs.

"I haven't given too much thought on who we might face in the last four. There are quite a few permutations that could occur on the weekend.

"It could be any one of a couple of teams we might face. Our focus hasn't gone further than preparing for Saturday and keeping our standards and our levels high while at the same time enjoying potentially the final ever Super City debry game," he said.

One piece of good news for Figueira and Auckland City FC is the return of club record goalscorer Emiliano Tade. Tade, 32, has been out with a calf injury since last November but is now ready to step in for the final knockings of the ISPS Handa Premiership.

His availability is a major boost for Figueira's plans.

"I'm happy to report that Emiliano Tade has completed a full week of full training and is now in contention for selection. We were envisaging him maybe not quite being ready for this part of the season but its testimony to Emiliano as a person and the way he looks after himself that he's ahead of schedule and he's looking sharp.

"There's been a notable lift in intensity and energy in training with him being back out there," he said.

Figueira's final remarks turned towards the Super City derby itself and the end of a fixture that came to mean everything to those that participated or witnessed it.

"I hope the local football community can get out there and support it for what may be the last ever Super City derby as we know it. Its a game with rich history with top players that have played in this game and gone onto bigger things.

"Add in a smattering of young, exciting, talent on both teams. I'm looking forward to seeing another good crowd, another good spectacle at the home of football."

The game is scheduled for Saturday 27 February, 2021, and kicks off at 3pm NZDT at Kiwitea Street.

If Waitakere United do win on Saturday and clinch fourth place, it will set up a semi-final at Kiwitea Street between Auckland City FC and Waitakere United.


Ends

Match Details
ISPS Handa Premiership
Saturday 27 February, 2021
Auckland City FC v Waitakere United
Kiwitea Street, Auckland
Kick-off: 3pm NZDT

AC: 1. Enaut ZUBIKARAI (GK), 2. Mario ILICH, 3. Adam MITCHELL, 4. Mario BILEN, 6. Brian KALTACK, 7. Cam HOWIESON (c), 8. Albert RIERA, 9. Kayne VINCENT, 10. Dylan MANICKUM, 11. Tom DOYLE, 12. Sam BROTHERTON, 13. Deandre VOLLENHOVEN, 14. Jordan VALE, 15. Aidan CAREY, 16. Yousif AL-KALISY, 17. Andrew BLAKE, 19. Logan ROGERSON, 20. Emiliano TADE, 21. Maro BONSU-MARO, 22. Mohamed AWAD, 23. Alfie ROGERS, 24. Cam BROWN (GK).

COACH: Jose FIGUEIRA

OTHER FIXTURES

Saturday 27 February 2021
Canterbury United v Wellington Phoenix
English Park, Christchurch - kick-off: 2pm NZDT

Team Wellington v Hamilton Wanderers
David Farrington Park, Wellington - kick-off: 1pm NZDT

Sunday 28 February 2021
Hawke's Bay United v Eastern Suburbs AFC
Bluewater Stadium, Napier - kick-off: 4pm NZDT

MILESTONES & STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Sunday's game is the 62nd official clash between Auckland City FC and Waitakere United in all competitions.

Nicknamed the 'Super City Derby', Auckland City FC have 34 wins, 12 draws and 15 defeats in this fixture and scored 105 goals and conceded 79.

Auckland City FC's biggest win in this competition was 5-0 over Waitakere United in 2017-18 when a Ryan De Vries hat-trick and a brace from Emiliano Tade separated the teams.

Waitakere United's biggest win in this fixture was a 4-1 win in 2016-17 when Scott Hilliar, Keegan Linderboom, Dan Morgan and Julyan Collett scored for United and cancelled out Emiliano Tade's opener.

Auckland City FC's top scorers in this fixture are Ryan DE VRIES (8), Paul URLOVIC (8) and Emiliano TADE (8). The top scorer for Waitakere United is Allan PEARCE (8).

The overall top scorer in this fixture in the ISPS Handa Premiership is jointly held by Ryan DE VRIES (10), Daniel KOPRIVCIC (10) and the late Keryn JORDAN (10). DE VRIES scored two ISPS Handa Premiership goals in this fixture for Waitakere United, while JORDAN scored three to go with his seven for Auckland City FC.

KOPRIVCIC's goals come in a variety of formats - three in the OFC Champions League (one for Auckland City FC, two for Waitakere United), two in the NZF Charity Cup (both for Auckland City FC) and five in the ISPS Handa Premiership (two for Auckland City FC, three for Waitakere United).

DE VRIES has scored the most hat-tricks with two, one each in 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons in 5-1 and 5-0 wins for Auckland City FC. Paul URLOVIC scored the first ever hat-trick in this fixture in 2005-06 in a 5-1 win.

The player who scored the most goals in this fixture in all competitions remains the late Keryn JORDAN who scored five in the OFC Champions League and ten in the ISPS Handa Premiership to make a total of 15 goals.

HEAD-TO-HEAD
OFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYED: 13, WON 4, DREW 7, LOST 2, GF: 20, GA: 16.
ISPS HANDA PREMIERSHIP PLAYED: 45, WON 28, DREW 5, LOST 12, GF: 105, GA: 58.
NZF CHARITY CUP PLAYED: 3, WON 2, DREW 0, LOST 1, GF: 8, GA: 5.
TOTAL PLAYED: 61, WON 34, DREW 12, LOST 15, GF: 133, GA: 79.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

OFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

PLAYED: 13, WON 4, DREW 7, LOST 2, GF: 20, GA: 16.

2012-13
v. Waitakere United (A) won 3-1 (Adam DICKINSON 2, Gustavo SOUTO | Roy KRISHNA)
v. Waitakere United (H) lost 0-1 (Jake BUTLER)
v. Waitakere United (N) won 2-1 (Adam DICKINSON, Alex FENERIDIS | Chad COOMBES) - OFC Champions League Final

2010-11
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 1-1 (Alex FENERIDIS | Roy KRISHNA)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 1-0 (Stu KELLY)

2009-10
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 1-1 (Chad COOMBES | Brent FISHER)
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 2-2 (Daniel KOPRIVCIC, Greg UHLMANN | Benjamin TOTORI 2)

2008-09
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 2-2 (Keryn JORDAN 2 | Benjamin TOTORI, Paul SEAMAN)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 3-1 (Matt FRIEL, Keryn JORDAN, Adam McGEORGE | Roy KRISHNA)

2008
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 0-1 (Allan PEARCE)
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 1-1 (Ki Hyung LEE | Allan PEARCE)

2007
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 2-2 (Paul URLOVIC, Grant YOUNG | Danny HAY, Commins MENAPI)
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 2-2 (Keryn JORDAN 2 | Daniel KOPRIVCIC 2)

ISPS HANDA PREMIERSHIP

PLAYED: 45, WON 28, DREW 5, LOST 12, GF: 105, GA: 58.

2020-21
v. Waitakere United (A) won 3-0 (Mohamed AWAD, Logan ROGERSON, Cam HOWIESON)

2019-20
v. Waitakere United (A) won 6-2 (Dylan MANICKUM 2, Cam HOWIESON, Myer BEVAN 2, Clayton LEWIS, Maro BONSU-MARO | Dane SCHNELL, Rayhan CARLSON-DU TOIT)
v. Waitakere United (H) C-C - Cancelled due to Covid

2018-19
v. Waitakere United (A) won 2-0 (Javier LOPEZ 2)
v. Waitakere United (A) won 5-2 (Fabrizio TAVANO 2, Dylan MANICKUM 2, Maro BONSU-MARO | Matthew CONROY 2)

2017-18
v. Waitakere United (A) won 5-0 (Emiliano TADE 2, Ryan DE VRIES 3)
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 2-2 (Emiliano TADE, Callum McCOWATT | Horace JAMES, Keegan LINDERBOOM)

2016-17
v. Waitakere United (H) lost 0-1 (Harrison NASH)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 1-4 (Emiliano TADE | Keegan LINDERBOOM, Dan MORGAN, Julyan COLLETT, Scott HILLIAR)

2015-16
v. Waitakere United (A) won 4-0 (Joao MOREIRA, Micah LEA'ALAFA 2, Ryan DE VRIES)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 5-1 (Ryan DE VRIES 3, Darren WHITE, Clayton LEWIS | Sam O'REGAN)

2014-15
v. Waitakere United (A) won 1-0 (David BROWNE)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 1-0 (Ivan CARRIL)
v. Waitakere United (A) won 2-0 (Ryan DE VRIES, Oscar GARCIA) - Semi Final 1st Leg
v. Waitakere United (H) won 5-1 (David BROWNE 3, Joao MOREIRA, Oscar GARCIA | Derice RICHARDS) - Semi Final 2nd Leg

2013-14
v. Waitakere United (H) won 2-0 (Chris BALE, Darren WHITE)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 0-1 (Maksim MANKO)
v. Waitakere United (A) won 4-0 (Emiliano TADE 2, Ivan VICELICH, Takuya IWATA) - Semi Final 1st Leg
v. Waitakere United (H) won 4-1 (Andrew MILNE, Chris BALE, Emiliano TADE 2 | Richard CARDOZO) - Semi Final 2nd Leg

2012-13
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 1-1 (Luis CORRALES | Jake BUTLER)
v. Waitakere United (H) lost 2-3 (Alex FENERIDIS, Manel EXPOSITO | Luiz DEL MONTE, Tim MYERS, Roy KRISHNA)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 3-4 (Manel EXPOSITO 2, Chris BALE | Roy KRISHNA 2, Allan PEARCE 2) - Grand Final

2011-12
v. Waitakere United (A) won 3-1 (Own Goal, Own Goal, David MULLIGAN | Ross MCKENZIE)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 3-1 (Luis CORRALES, Daniel KOPRIVCIC, Manel EXPOSITO | Chris BALE)

2010-11
v. Waitakere United (H) lost 1-3 (Phil EDGINTON | Allan PEARCE, Ryan DE VRIES 2)
v. Waitakere United (A) won 1-0 (Daniel KOPRIVCIC)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 2-3 (Own Goal, Manel EXPOSITO | Dakota LUCAS 2, Michael GWYTHER) - Grand Final

2009-10
v. Waitakere United (H) won 2-1 (Ivan VICELICH, Grant YOUNG | Jason ROWLEY)
v. Waitakere United (A) drew 1-1 (Chad COOMBES | Tim MYERS)

2008-09
v. Waitakere United (H) lost 1-2 (Matt WILLIAMS | Allan PEARCE, Daniel KOPRIVCIC)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 2-4 (Matt FRIEL, Keryn JORDAN | Neil EMBLEN, Roy KRISHNA, Kayne VINCENT, Benjamin TOTORI)
v. Waitakere United (N) won 2-1 (Keryn JORDAN, Paul URLOVIC | Allan PEARCE) - Grand Final

2007-08
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 1-1 (Keryn JORDAN | Benjamin TOTORI)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 0-2 (Paul SEAMAN, Benjamin TOTORI)
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 0-1 (Allan PEARCE)

2006-07
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 0-0*
v. Waitakere United (H) won 4-3 (Keryn JORDAN, Paul SEAMAN, Grant YOUNG, Paul URLOVIC | Commins MENAPI, Daniel KOPRIVCIC, Allan PEARCE)
v. Waitakere United (H) drew 1-1 (Grant YOUNG | Daniel KOPRIVCIC)
v. Waitakere United (N) won 3-2 (Liam MULROONEY, Paul URLOVIC, Neil SYKES | Commins MENAPI, Jeff CAMPBELL) - Grand Final

2005-06
v. Waitakere United (A) won 2-1 (Keryn JORDAN, Grant YOUNG | Daniel ELLENSOHN)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 5-1 (Paul URLOVIC 3, Reg DAVANI 2 | George SURI)
v. Waitakere United (A) won 2-1 (Keryn JORDAN 2 | Own Goal)

2004-05
v. Waitakere United (A) won 3-1 (Paul URLOVIC 2, Liam MULROONEY | Keryn JORDAN)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 1-0 (Grant YOUNG)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 4-2 (Jonathan SMITH 2, James PRITCHETT, Grant YOUNG | Keryn JORDAN, Allan PEARCE)
v. Waitakere United (H) won 3-2 (Grant YOUNG 2, Liam MULROONEY | Daniel ELLENSOHN, Keryn JORDAN ) - Grand Final

*Auckland City FC won the fixture 1-0 but the points were awarded to Waitakere United after the Auckland City FC team fielded an ineligible player.

NZF CHARITY CUP

PLAYED: 3, WON 2, DREW 0, LOST 1, GF: 8, GA: 5.

2013
v. Waitakere United (H) won 4-1 (Emiliano TADE, Daniel KOPRIVCIC, Andrew MILNE, Roy KRISHNA | Jordan LOWDON)

2012
v. Waitakere United (A) lost 1-2 (Ivan VICELICH | George SLEFENDORFAS, Maksim MANKO)

2011
v. Waitakere United (H) won 3-2 (Alex FENERIDIS, Ivan VICELICH, Daniel KOPRIVCIC | Allan PEARCE, Tim MYERS)

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